Examining the relationship between local extinction risk and position in range

Over half of globally threatened animal species have experienced rapid geographic range loss. Identifying the parts of species’ distributions most vulnerable to extinction would benefit conservation planning. However, previous studies give little consensus on whether ranges decline to the core or edge. Here we build on previous work by using empirical data to examine the position of recent local extinctions within species’ geographic ranges, addressing range position as a continuum and exploring the influence of environmental factors. We aggregated point locality data for 125 species of galliform birds across the Palearctic and Indo-Malaya into equal area half degree grid cells and used a multi-species dynamic Bayesian occupancy model to estimate the rates of local extinctions. Our model provides a novel approach to identify loss of populations from within species ranges. We investigated the relationship between extinction rates and distance from range edge, examining whether patterns were consistent across biogeographic realm and different categories of land-use. In the Palearctic, local extinctions occurred closer to the range edge in both unconverted and human-dominated landscapes. In Indo-Malaya, no pattern was found for unconverted landscapes but in human dominated landscapes extinctions tended to occur closer to the core than the edge. Our results suggest that local and regional factors over-ride any general spatial patterns of recent local extinction within species’ ranges and highlight the difficulty of predicting the parts of a species’ distribution most vulnerable to threat

Totalitarianism and geography: L.S. Berg and the defence of an academic discipline in the age of Stalin

In considering the complex relationship between science and politics, the article focuses upon the career of the eminent Russian scholar, Lev Semenovich Berg (1876–1950), one of the leading geographers of the Stalin period. Already before the Russian Revolution, Berg had developed a naturalistic notion of landscape geography which later appeared to contradict some aspects of Marxist–Leninist ideology. Based partly upon Berg's personal archive, the article discusses the effects of the 1917 revolution, the radical changes which Stalin's cultural revolution (from the late 1920s) brought upon Soviet science, and the attacks made upon Berg and his concept of landscape geography thereafter. The ways in which Berg managed to defend his notion of geography (sometimes in surprisingly bold ways) are considered. It is argued that geography's position under Stalin was different from that of certain other disciplines in that its ideological disputes may have been regarded as of little significance by the party leaders, certainly by comparison with its practical importance, thus providing a degree of ‘freedom’ for some geographers at least analogous to that which has been described by Weiner (1999. A little corner of freedom: Russian nature protection from Stalin to Gorbachev. Berkeley: University of California Press) for conservationists. It is concluded that Berg and others successfully upheld a concept of scientific integrity and limited autonomy even under Stalinism, and that, in an era of ‘Big Science’, no modernizing state could or can afford to emasculate these things entirely

Impact of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Initiation on Emergency Health Services Utilization

We assessed the effects of initiation of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on emergency department (ED) visits among individuals covered by a large commercial health insurer in the southeastern U.S

Polarimetric Properties of Flux-Ropes and Sheared Arcades in Coronal Prominence Cavities

The coronal magnetic field is the primary driver of solar dynamic events. Linear and circular polarization signals of certain infrared coronal emission lines contain information about the magnetic field, and to access this information, either a forward or an inversion method must be used. We study three coronal magnetic configurations that are applicable to polar-crown filament cavities by doing forward calculations to produce synthetic polarization data. We analyze these forward data to determine the distinguishing characteristics of each model. We conclude that it is possible to distinguish between cylindrical flux ropes, spheromak flux ropes, and sheared arcades using coronal polarization measurements. If one of these models is found to be consistent with observational measurements, it will mean positive identification of the magnetic morphology that surrounds certain quiescent filaments, which will lead to a greater understanding of how they form and why they erupt.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, Solar Physics topical issue: Coronal Magnetis

Impact of Expanding Access to Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems among Insulin Users with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Despite increased use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, studies to quantify patterns of CGM use are limited. In December 2018, a policy change by a commercial insurer expanded coverage of CGM through the pharmacy benefit, creating an opportunity to evaluate the impact of this change on CGM utilization. Research Design and Methods: Pharmacy and medical claims from 2016 to 2020 were used to estimate the prevalence of CGM use among insulin users with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) before and after the policy change. Change in CGM use was assessed using an interrupted time series design. Results: At the beginning of the study period, 18.8% of T1DM patients and 1.2% of T2DM patients used CGM. Use rose to 30.5% and 6.6% in the quarter before the policy change. The policy resulted in an immediate 9.5% (P < 0.0001) and 2.8% (P < 0.0001) change in use and increased the rate of quarterly change by 0.5% (P = 0.002) and 0.8% (P < 0.0001). At the end of the study period, 58.2% and 14.9% of T1DM and T2DM patients used CGM. Conclusion: CGM use significantly increased after addition to the pharmacy benefit. Rate of change in CGM use was lower in T1DM compared to the T2DM population, but overall use remained higher among patients with T1DM. Increased CGM use in the population studied aligns with those whose clinical guidelines suggest would most likely benefit. Additional work is needed to evaluate the impact of this benefit change on health care spending and outcomes

SKU classification: A literature review and conceptual framework

Purpose - Stock keeping unit (SKU) classifications are widely used in the field of production and operations management. Although many theoretical and practical examples of classifications exist, there are no overviews of the current literature, and general guidelines are lacking with respect to method selection for classifying SKUs. The purpose of this paper is to systematically synthesise the earlier work in this area, and to conceptualise and discuss the factors that influence the choice of a specific SKU classification. Design/methodology/approach - The paper structurally reviews existing contributions and synthesises these into a conceptual framework for SKU classification. Findings - How SKUs are classified depends on the classification aim, the context and the method that is chosen. In total, three main production and operations management aims were found: inventory management, forecasting and production strategy. Within the method three decisions are identified to come to a classification: the characteristics, the classification technique and the operationalisation of the classes. Research limitations/implications - Drawing on the literature survey, the authors conclude with a conceptual framework describing the factors that influence SKU classification. Further research could use this framework to develop guidelines for real-life applications. Practical implications Examples from a variety of industries and general directions are provided which managers could use to develop their own SKU classification. Originality/value - The paper aims to advance the literature on SKU classification from the level of individual examples to a conceptual level and provides directions on how to develop a SKU classification

Expression of insulin-like growth factor I by activated hepatic stellate cells reduces fibrogenesis and enhances regeneration after liver injury

BACKGROUND/AIM: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) express alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) and acquire a profibrogenic phenotype upon activation by noxious stimuli. Insulin-like growth I (IGF-I) has been shown to stimulate HSCs proliferation in vitro, but it has been reported to reduce liver damage and fibrogenesis when given to cirrhotic rats. METHODS: The authors used transgenic mice (SMP8-IGF-I) expressing IGF-I under control of alphaSMA promoter to study the influence of IGF-I synthesised by activated HSCs on the recovery from liver injury. RESULTS: The transgene was expressed by HSCs from SMP8-IGF-I mice upon activation in culture and in the livers of these animals after CCl4 challenge. Twenty four hours after administration of CCl4 both transgenic and wild type mice showed similar extensive necrosis and increased levels of serum transaminases. However at 72 hours SMP8-IGF-I mice exhibited lower serum transaminases, reduced hepatic expression of alphaSMA, and improved liver morphology compared with wild type littermates. Remarkably, at this time all eight CCl4 treated wild type mice manifested histological signs of liver necrosis that was severe in six of them, while six out of eight transgenic animals had virtually no necrosis. In SMP8-IGF-I mice robust DNA synthesis occurred earlier than in wild type animals and this was associated with enhanced production of HGF and lower TGFbeta1 mRNA expression in the SMP8-IGF-I group. Moreover, Colalpha1(I) mRNA abundance at 72 hours was reduced in SMP8-IGF-I mice compared with wild type controls. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted overexpression of IGF-I by activated HSCs restricts their activation, attenuates fibrogenesis, and accelerates liver regeneration. These effects appear to be mediated in part by upregulation of HGF and downregulation of TGFbeta1. The data indicate that IGF-I can modulate the cytokine response to liver injury facilitating regeneration and reducing fibrosis

First-order cosmological phase transitions in the radiation dominated era

We consider first-order phase transitions of the Universe in the radiation-dominated era. We argue that in general the velocity of interfaces is non-relativistic due to the interaction with the plasma and the release of latent heat. We study the general evolution of such slow phase transitions, which comprise essentially a short reheating stage and a longer phase equilibrium stage. We perform a completely analytical description of both stages. Some rough approximations are needed for the first stage, due to the non-trivial relations between the quantities that determine the variation of temperature with time. The second stage, instead, is considerably simplified by the fact that it develops at a constant temperature, close to the critical one. Indeed, in this case the equations can be solved exactly, including back-reaction on the expansion of the Universe. This treatment also applies to phase transitions mediated by impurities. We also investigate the relations between the different parameters that govern the characteristics of the phase transition and its cosmological consequences, and discuss the dependence of these parameters with the particle content of the theory.Comment: 38 pages, 3 figures; v2: Minor changes, references added; v3: several typos correcte

Variety of Methodological Approach in Economics

It has been argued by some that the distinction between orthodox economics and heterodox economics does not fit the growing variety in economic theory, unified by a common methodological approach. On the other hand, it remains a central characteristic of heterodox economics that it does not share this methodological approach, but rather represents a range of alternative methodological approaches. The paper explores the evidence, and arguments, for variety in economics at different levels, and a range of issues which arise. This requires in turn a discussion of the meaning of variety in economics at the different levels of reality, methodology, method and theory. It is concluded that there is scope for more, rather than less, variety in economic methodologies, as well as within methodologies. Further, if variety is not to take the form of “anything goes”, then critical discussion by economists of different approaches to economics, and of variety itself, is required